Toothbrushing Entertainment Center

ABSTRACT

A toothbrushing entertainment center is disclosed having a pivotable harness member for storing a toothbrush, which harness member activates or deactivates a switch which, in turn, triggers the initiation or ceasing of an internet-based audio and/or visual signal of pre-determined duration for effectuating or enhancing the brushing of teeth.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/278,882, filed Oct. 13, 2009.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates generally to personal hygiene apparatus andparticularly to toothbrush holders.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART

The need for proper oral hygiene is keenly important to Americanhouseholds. Proper brushing is not fully understood by many adults noris it understood by most children. If proper instruction and techniquewere followed consumers could save money and lead healthier lives whileenjoying higher self-esteem. In the past there have been musicaltoothbrushes, talking toothbrush holders, and other audio producingapparatus designed to effectuate and enhance proper brushing amongadults, but especially among children. Prior devices have unfortunatelyhad a number of drawbacks. For example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,926,489 and3,021,666, the inventor Stone disclosed activating an animated characterin association with brushing teeth. Upon removal of a toothbrush fromthe mechanism the character became animated. Upon return of thetoothbrush, the animation was deactivated. The mechanism had a timercontrol which could be cycled to its starting point upon the return ofthe toothbrush. However, the animation was not accompanied by any audio.Stubbman discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,234 an animated charactersimilar to the Stone apparatus, having a control means extending fromthe device and operated by the user to activate the display, but it alsocontained a sound producing audio component. The devices, however, wereconsidered overly complex and too expensive to manufacture while alsobeing susceptible to mechanical failure. Robert Gertler disclosed in1981 his personal hygiene apparatus under U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,151. Mr.Gertler's invention also included a character figure but it wasnon-animated. Located within the interior of his device was an audioproducing means which was activated by a switch on the base console ofthe device. The character figure supported a personal hygiene meanswhich maintained the switch in a deactivated condition. Removal of atoothbrush located on the character caused the activation of the switchand thereby the audio was produced. However, a critical drawback to theGertler device was that it used a primitive recording disk or tape whichcould only play one message. Furthermore, if the toothbrush was replacedprematurely, the message continued to play to the end of the melody orthe message which was in progress.

Accordingly, Mr. Rory G. Hogan disclosed an apparatus in 1999 under hisU.S. Pat. No. 5,864,288, which was a talking toothbrush holder. Thedevice incorporated an audio chip or in the alternative a tape-recordedmessage or possibly even a radio signal. A separate timing mechanism wasincorporated in order to monitor the amount of time a toothbrush hadbeen removed from the holder to insure proper brushing had taken place.Moreover, a separate warning message or tune having an independentsignal generated apart from the original signal which carried themessage or music that began playing when the toothbrush was removed fromthe holder. This independent second signal carried an acknowledgementthat the pre-determined brushing period had elapsed. There was also acontrol apparatus to monitor the time elapsed since the toothbrush hadbeen removed. The second control signal generated a secondpre-determined sound pattern when the first signal (indicating theabsence of the toothbrush) was de-asserted and the second signal wasasserted. It was critical that the second signal be asserted in order toovercome the drawback of the Gertler device. In other words, thiselement allowed the message to stop immediately when the toothbrush wasreturned prematurely, and to create a warning which could be observed bythe parents or noted by the parents of a toothbrushing child or by theperson brushing their teeth, alerting one to the fact that additionalbrushing time was needed.

Additionally, the toothbrush holder was designed, as most toothbrushholders were designed, to have a receptacle within the base of thetoothbrush holder which fit the shape of the toothbrush handle andtherefore could house the distal end of the toothbrush.

Hogan disclosed a talking toothbrush holder in U.S. Pat. No. 5,864,288.It was not without its drawbacks. That is, different types of toothbrushhandles require different shaped receptacles for purposes of holding thetoothbrush. Additionally, the multiple signal switches and circuitrywithin the toothbrush holder are cumbersome and expensive.

A novel and attractive but simple and inexpensive toothbrush holderwhich could entertain and/or educate the consumers when the toothbrushwas removed from its holder and which would do so for the pre-determinedperiod desired for toothbrushing, and yet could overcome previousdrawbacks in the prior art would be a welcomed advancement and wouldsatisfy a long felt need in the industry.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an audio/visualtoothbrushing entertainment center which overcomes the drawbacks of theprior art.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide anaudio/visual toothbrushing entertainment center which does not require asecond independent signal within the circuitry of the device forpurposes of either ending the message or for providing a warning thatthe toothbrush has been returned to the holder prematurely.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an audio/visualentertainment center which does not require an animated object, butrather will have a moving picture signal which can be viewed on amonitor integral to the entertainment center.

It is further object of the present invention to have a toothbrushingentertainment center which has a variety of messages, stories, tunes,etc. condensed to fit the pre-determined toothbrushing period of timewhich are downloadable from a central website or from an externalcomputer processing unit of an independent computer which condensedmessages are generated by a signal which inherently contains warningsignals for prematurely returning the toothbrush and messages which arelaudatory, or congratulatory when returning the toothbrush at the end ofthe pre-determined period of time in which toothbrushing should takeplace.

The attached drawings and detailed description of the preferredembodiments of the present invention are intended to be merelyillustrative of a broader scope of invention which is contemplated forthe device. Certain embodiments of the toothbrush holder will haveobvious equivalents which can be employed as alternatives if desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the toothbrushingentertainment center of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the entertainment center ofthe present invention as embodied within FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a back side, internal view of the components housed within thetoothbrushing entertainment center of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the internal components housed within FIG.3.

FIG. 5 is a left side view of the entertainment center of the presentinvention including a dotted line of a toothbrush which can be held inthe invention.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the toothbrushing entertainment center of thepresent invention.

FIG. 7 is a right side view of a toothbrushing entertainment center ofthe present invention as shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternative audio visual embodimentof the toothbrushing entertainment center of the present inventionshowing a video monitor.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the internal components of this alternativeembodiment of the present invention as illustrated in FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, the toothbrushing entertainment center 10requires a housing 11 which housing may be connected to a base portion12 by a rod 13 extending between the base 12 and the housing 10, therebyallowing the entertainment center housing to stand vertically as if on apedestal. Resting within the housing 11 may be a stand stabilizingelement 16 affixed within the housing to releasably receive one end ofrod 13. Housing 11 is defined by a continuous perimeter wall 30 whichhas a backside edge 31 and a front side edge 32. Back side edge 31fittingly receives back side cover plate 14 which is releasably fixedthereto. Similarly, front edge 32 receives front cover plate 18 which isreleasably affixed thereto. Thus, said front cover plate 18, back sideplate 14, and continuous perimeter wall 30 there between which receivesboth said plates 14 and 18 so to define housing 11.

Critical to the entertainment center 10 is harness means 17, whichextends pivotally through a slot 19 within front side plate 18 of thehousing 11. Harness means 17 is designed to receive the neck portion of,for example, a toothbrush 25 (See FIG. 5). The harness means 17 pivotsdownward from the weight of the toothbrush when said toothbrush 25 restswithin the harness means 17. Harness means 17 is not only pivotable butis spring loaded or otherwise releasable so as to activate when holdingtoothbrush 25 and deactivate (when toothbrush 25 is removed) an internalswitch within the housing of the entertainment center. The switch 22, ascan be readily seen in FIG. 3, and which is noted in FIG. 4, connects abattery 23 (or other power source) and a computer processing unit (CPU)21. CPU 21, in turn, sends audio signals to speaker 24. Additionally, aUSB port 20 allows hard wiring of external computers and devices whichmay generate signals to the CPU 21. Also, CPU 21 may be enabled byBluetooth or other technology for remotely and/or wirelessly sendingsignals to and receiving signals from CPU unit 21. The CPU unit 21 isdesigned to communicate with off-site processing units, host computers,and other equipment supporting the worldwide web and/or the internet.Web signals from a central web site will be stored in a librarycomprising short instructional messages, audio, video, and/or otherentertainment means which cover a predetermined condensed or shortenedtime period correlated to the period of time best suited for brushingteeth, i.e. from about 1 minute to about 3 minutes, but preferably 2minutes.

The weight of toothbrush 25 serves to close the switch 22 so that nosignal other than a tail signal lasting a few seconds can be receivedfrom the internet. The tail signal will be laudatory if the toothbrush25 has been removed from said harness 17 for a pre-determined period oftime. However, the tail signal will be a warning if the toothbrush hasbeen removed from the harness for less than the pre-determined period oftime. However, in no case is an independent signal needed other than theprogrammed signals which are individually known as tooth tones ort-tones which are programmed digitally and stored at the centralwebsite. These tooth tones may be of an infinite variety of subjects,animated cartoons, stories, action films, or merely messages regarding,for example, dental hygiene.

The backside plate 14 for housing 11, should be easily removable as forexample by screws which can be screwed in and out of screw holes 15(a),15(b) and 15(c) which may be seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, vents 24(a) may be found in front plate19 as a means for projecting audio from speaker 24. USB port 20 may beseen in FIG. 7 as a convenient point for hard-wiring signals from acentral computer.

Now referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, a most preferred embodiment of thepresent invention is a toothbrushing entertainment center 10 which hasevery element of the invention previously described plus a monitor 26over which tooth video tunes may be displayed. Accordingly, thetoothbrushing entertainment center 10 of the present invention may havevideo instructions and/or other educational messages regarding dentalhygiene. Also in FIG. 8 an external power cord 28 may be used if desiredto power the entertainment center 10 of the present invention.

While the preferred embodiments and various alternative embodiments ofthe invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein, it maybe apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form anddetail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scopethereof.

1. A toothbrushing entertainment center, comprising: (a) a harnessmember for pivotably and releasably holding the neck of a toothbrushwhich harness member also serves as a switch for initiating web basedentertainment signals from the internet center beginning when saidtoothbrush is removed from the harness; and (b) a central processingunit coupled to the toothbrush harness switch member, which centralprocessing unit receives and processes the web-based signals, each ofwhich signal has a tail which is programmed therein to play when thetoothbrush is returned to the switch and said tail having a messagewhich differs based upon the period of time which the signal has beenactivated, and/or corresponding to the period of time during which thetoothbrush has been removed from the harness switch member; and (c) aweb-based audio visual generating means at a website containing alibrary of tooth tones or tunes which have either entertainment oreducational messages within a signal, which signal has a tail as recitedabove; (d) whereby a single audio and/or visual pattern may be generatedfrom downloading a single digital audio and/or visual program messagefrom a web-based library of said program signals which audio and/orvisual signals are characterized by a playing time covering at most thepre-determined period of time calculated for proper brushing of theteeth.
 2. The entertainment center of claim 1 wherein the pre-determinedperiod of time for brushing teeth is from 1 to 3 minutes.
 3. Theentertainment center of claim 1 having a housing which housing containsa battery means, a switch means activated or deactivated by the presenceor absence of the toothbrush in the harness, a CPU, and a speaker means4. The entertainment center of claim 1 having a pedestal stand for easein accessing said center.
 5. The entertainment center of claim 1 beingwall-mounted.
 6. The entertainment center of claim 1 being hardwired toa separate computer means.
 7. The entertainment center of claim 1 beingconnected to the internet by remote access.